Air conditioned display table



Jan. 5, 1937. J. E. BALES AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY TABLE Filed Sept. 15, 1933 Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNlTED' STATES PATENT OFFICE James E. Bales, Aurora, 111., alsignor-to Lyon Metal Products, Incorporated, Aurora, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application Scptcmbcr 15, ms, Serial No. 689,537

' Claims. (01. 62-895) My invention relates to open-top display stands, display or working stands, tables or cabinets.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a work table or display stand having its dis- 5 play or supporting face directly open to the air and free of enclosing side walls, or front walls or top walls and wherein means is provided for maintaining the commodities or objects supported thereon in relatively cold or cool condition; lo-to provide a display stand or work table free from transparent covers or enclosures so that the commodity displayed thereon or work supported thereon may be instantaneously accessible to examination or handling, and wherein means is provided for maintaining the commodity or object in relatively cool or cold condition; to provide a display stand of the above character wherein a blanket of relatively cold or cool air is maintained in such manner as to surround the commodity or object on the display stand or table so as to maintain the object or commodity out of contact with the warm circumambient air; to provide a table or display stand of the above character wherein means is provided for passing a constantly flowing blanket or sheet of relatively cold or cool air directly over and/or through and/or across the underside of the commodity or object on the table whereby to maintain it in relatively cold or cool condition; to 30 provide a device as hereinbefore set forth wherein finely divided moisture may be supplied to the commodity displayed on the supporting surface; to provide a simple, economical yet efficient display stand wherein the perishables supported 35 thereon are open and free to the air for handling and inspection yet wherein relatively cool or cold air is maintained in constant contact with the commodity so supported; to provide these and other objects, which will hereinafter be more n apparent from a perusal of the following specification when taken in connection with the drawing. wherein;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing, in dotted line outline, the position of the blower and the s cooling coils;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2--2 of-Fig. 1, and Fig.3isasection online3-3 of Fig.2. In general, my invention is concerned with a display stand or a work table of any desired to configuration and provided with a supporting surface adapted for displaying a perishable commodity, be it perishable vegetables, or meats, or whatnot, or adapted to support any object of v a quality or condition demanding temporary s preservation by cooling.

In the type of table or stand with which'my invention is concerned, the commodity or ob- Ject-supporting surface is open to the atmosphere so that such commodity or object placed thereon is instantly accessible for inspection, for han- 5 dling or for working upon. Heretofore in display stands of this so-called open-top type, it has been impractical to maintain the commodity displayed in a relatively cool or relatively refrigerated condition. 10

Broadly, my invention resides in providing such a display stand or table with means for maintaining the displayed commodity or supported object in a relatively cool or cold condition by means of a protective, or heat-insulating medium 15 of relatively cold air which does not interfere with the direct handling and inspection of the displayed commodity. In particular, my inven-.

tion consists in substantially surrounding the displayed commodity with a circulating blanket or go sheet of relatively cold or cool air.

Referring now in detail to the specific embodiment of my invention which I have herein shown for the purpose of exemplification only and not by way of limitation, the particular embodiment is shown as a display stand for the display and sale of perishable commodities such as fruits, vegetables, meats and the like. It is to be understood, of course, that the invention is equally adaptable for work benches or tables wherein an object to be operated upon in anymanner is capable of being supported in a position so that it can be freely handled while at the same time maintained in a relatively cool or coldcondition.

Referring now to the illustrated embodiment, it comprises a display stand 2 mounted on less 4. The display stand proper is preferably of box-like construction and comprises a back 6 and sides 8 and Ill, and a front l2. The display surface of my stand is preferably formed slightly inclined from the rear to the front and consists of a plurality of slats I having intervening slots or spaces It whereby the perishable goods or other commodity may be supported in slightly inclined position to permit drainage of any mois- 4 ture or other liquid toward the front of the from the outside air and is formed with a support II for a motor fl, the shaft of which is provided with a fan 32, which is adapted to blow directly into a header 34 extending entirely across the interior rear portion of the casing and display stand is substantially, if not wholly enclosed in a blanket of relatively cold or cool air, and, in addition to this, a blanket of cold air is simultaneouslf'drawn through the produce or a lying between the bottom and a deflecting top perishables supported thereon into the. interior ll hereinafter described. This bus 34 is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in cross section in Fig. 3, and has its bottom portion extending diagonally or slantingly upwardas at 38, and forms with the upper wall.of the bus header 34 a funnel-shaped mouth 40 extending the entire length of the table and communicating with a vertical compartment also extending the length of the table in which are located the cooling coils 42 of the refrigerating system. These coils are the usual expansion coils of a refrigeration set such as ammonia compressor set or the like. The remaining portion of the set is not disclosed in the drawing, but the connecting pipes 42 of the cooling coil, it will be understood, connect with the. usual compressor, condenser and expansion valve mechanism of the usual system. These series of vertical ballles or transfer plates 46 ar-icoils are shown extending the entire length of the table and are preferably provided with a ranged parallel with the passage of air forced by the blower through the vertical compartment It so that as the air is passed across the coils, the air will be cooled thereby. The front and rear I walls of the stand forming the vertical compartment 44 at their upper ends are closed by a plate '48 preferably formed as a shelf having marginal upstanding flanges 50 acting as a. container for display of other goods. In addition, the underside of this shelf 48 is provided with a curved sheet metal deflector I2 arranged in the path of the upwardly moving column of cooled air and disposed so that the front edge 54 of the deflector serva to direct'the cool air downwardly as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2 onto and across and over the topof the inclined slat-like supporting sin'face.

The front partition 56 for this purpose is apertured as at 58 and provided with a reticulated covering or cane. The 'front partition member short of the front and above the bottom 26 so as to form, in effect, an opening in the front of the motor through which opening 68 in front of" the motor inthe interior of the compartment through which air is sucked by the blower 32. It .will thus be seen that the, cool air deflected downwardly. ver and across the top of the slatted supporting surface will pass in sheet or blanket-like form entirely across thetop of the display surface, a portion of this cooled air is drawn downwardly through the commodity being supported, thence through the openings it between the slats into the interior of the compartment where this cool air is forced forwardly, thence through'the opening 66 and past the blower 32 from which point it is forced through the header 3 back through the cooling coils. At the same time that the cooled air is drawn across and downwardly through the slots, a portion thereof will pass forwardly over the front beaded edge ll of the stand and will be drawn inwardly through the reticulated opening is of the stand into the interior, all as illustrated by the arrows in Fig. 2. In thismanner the commodity displayed upon the slatted surface of the of the stand and then passed in a continuous cycle through the refrigerating coils and. back again whereby a thorough cooling ,or semi-refrigeration of the perishables on the stand is provided, while at the same time the commodities supported thereon are free to be inspected, handled, withdrawn or replaced thereon.

In the event that it is desirable to provide moisture forthe commodities such as vegetables, fruits or the like .whfle being supported on the stand, 'I have provided a spray 68 in the form of a plurality of perforated nozzles which are located on the underside of the curved deflector 54 and extend lengthwise of the display stand. By thus finely sub-dividing or spraying water in the path of the projected cold air, the moisture will be carried down into direct contact with the commodity. The water for supplying the nozzle 68 may be from any desired source.

provided for diverting this moisture to a desired spot. i

The interior of the air header or bus 34 preferably opposite the flrst air blower If is provided with a series of air deflectors or fans I. for spreading the air out longitudinally of the rear portion of the interior of the casing whereby to Y accomplish a uniform distribution of the air over the entire length of the cooling coils and thus forcing it to pass'upwardly and thence spreading downwardly and across the entire length of the table.

It will thus be seen that I haveprovided a simple means for accomplishing the objects hereinbefore set forth.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that. numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form hereinbefore described comprising preferred embodiments for the purpose of illustrating the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to obtain by Letters Patent is:

1. A work or disp y stand having means forming an open-top display surface for supporting perishable commodities thereon. the front edge of said supporting surface having a depending wall provided with an opening co-extensivewith the length of the front wall, and means for projecting a blanket of cooled air across the entire supporting surface of said display stand. said air passing over the front edge of said display stand and into and through said longitudinally extending opening. 7

2. A work or display stand having means forming an open topdisplay surface for supporting perishable commodities, the front edge of said supporting surface having a depending wall provided with an opening substantially co-extensive with the length of the front wall, means for pro- Jecting a blanket of cooled air over the commodity supporting surface of the display stand and over the front edge thereof and thence through said opening, said commodity supporting surface having openings through which at least stantially throughout its entire area to permit the passage of a cooling fluid therethrough, means forming a substantially vertical air conduit providing a cooling chamber at the rear of the cabinet and extending substantially across the cabinet throughout its entire width, cooling means disposed in said cooling chamber substantially throughout the width thereof, the upper end of said chamber having an opening substantially above and facing toward the commodity supporting surface of the cabinet, said opening extending substantially throughout the width of the front wall of said chamber, deflector means at said opening for directing air downwardly substantially across the entire width of the commodity supporting surface, and means to circulate air upwardly through said cooling chamber whereby to deliver a blanket of cooled air substantially across the commodity supporting surface of the display stand, the front of said cabinet having an opening through which air projected forwardly of the commodity supporting surface may be drawn into the cabinet for recirculation.

4. A work or display stand comprising means forming an open topdisplay surface for supporting perishable commodities, said commodity supporting surface being formed with openings substantially throughout its entire area to permit the passage of a cooling fluid therethrough, means forming a substantially vertical air conduit providing a cooling chamber at the rear of the cabinet and extending substantially across the cabinet throughout its entire width, cooling means disposed in said cooling chamber substantially throughout the width thereof, the upper end of said chamber having an opening substantially above and facing toward the commodity supporting surface of the cabinet, said opening extending substantially throughout the width of the front wall of said chamber, deflector means at said opening for directing air downwardly substantially across the entire width of the commodity supporting surface, and means to circulate air upwardly through said cooling chamber whereby to deliver a blanket of cooled air substantially across the commodity supporting surface of the display stand, the front of said cabinet having an opening through which air projected forwardly of the commodity supporting surface may be drawn into the cabinet for recirculation, said circulating means comprising a motor disposed within the cabinet, and a blower driven by said motor to deliver air under forced draft to the bottom of the cooling chamber.

5. A display stand comprising a substantially box-shaped cabinet having an open top for supporting a commodity to be cooled, means forming openings in said top over substantially the entire area thereof permitting the passage of air therethrough, the front of said cabinet being provided with relatively small air openings substantially throughout the length thereof, means providing at the rear of said cabinet a vertical air conduit forming a cooling chamber extending substantially throughout the width of said cabinet, a cooling coil and cooling fins disposed in said, vertical conduit substantially throughout the width thereof, the upper end of said vertical conduit having an opening in the front wall thereof above and facing toward the commodity supporting top of the cabinet, said opening being dispmed substantially throughout the width of said front wall, means forming an air deflector for said opening for directing air downwardly across the entire width of the cabinet, a deflector plate extending from the front vertical wall of said cooling compartment downwardly within and toward the front of said cabinet, the front of said deflector plate being maintained in spaced relation with the bottom of said cabinet to provide an opening for the passage of air from the front of said cabinet rearwardly beneath said commodity supporting top, a motor disposed within said cabinet, a blower driven by said motor, and means providing an air conduit extending substantially throughout the width of said cabinet and communicating with the vertical cooling chamber whereby air blown by said blower will pass upwardly through said cooling chamber throughout the width of said display stand and will then. be cooled and directed downwardly across the commodity supporting top of said display stand.

JAMES iii. BALEB. 

